The Philadelphia Phillies have brought back right-handed reliever, re-signing him to a minor league contract just over a week after parting ways with him in what turned out to be a procedural roster move.
Jackson Rutledge, 27, was designated for assignment last week as the Phillies needed to create room on the roster. He was subsequently released because injured minor league players cannot be placed on outright waivers. After spending the past week in free agency without being claimed by another club, the right-hander has returned to the organization on a non-roster agreement and is expected to rejoin Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Philadelphia initially acquired Rutledge in mid-May after claiming him off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Following the move, the Phillies immediately optioned him to Triple-A, where he appeared in five innings before suffering an injury. During that brief stretch, he surrendered four earned runs. Prior to joining Philadelphia, Rutledge made one appearance in the majors for Washington this season, giving up seven runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 13.
Selected in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, the towering 6-foot-8 pitcher shifted into a permanent relief role last season after making limited major league appearances in both 2023 and 2024. Over four MLB campaigns, Rutledge has compiled a 6.29 ERA across 103 innings while posting a 5.38 FIP and a -0.6 pWAR. He has also yielded 21 home runs and issued 34 walks during his time at the highest level.
Before joining the Phillies organization, Rutledge spent each of his four major league seasons with the Nationals. In 2025, he recorded a 5.77 ERA over 73 1/3 innings out of Washington’s bullpen. His struggles have extended to Triple-A as well, where he owns a 5.60 ERA across parts of four seasons.
By bringing Rutledge back on a minor league deal, the Phillies are taking another chance on the former first-round selection. The organization will hope he can recover from injury, regain his effectiveness at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and eventually earn another opportunity to contribute at the major league level later this season.
